Prowess Pole is THE place to go if you want to learn how to be a bad ass pole dancer. Lindsay really knows her stuff and has been doing this for 8+ years! She will show you an awesome pretty trick and you think "There's no way I can do that!" but she will break it down step by step and give you insightful tips to nail it. And, she also cares utmost about safety and has mats to place under the poles and will spot you personally on the more difficult tricks.
Other places may teach 'sensuality' and not even get to inverting for months and months, but at Prowess Pole, the focus is more on developing strength with grace and flexibility. I love this place! Can't get enough, and I recommend it to all my girl friends who are interested in trying out pole (and even to the ones that aren't!) ;)